James A Gray

Died on the 07/10/1915 after a leg amputation at No.5 General Hospital Rouen, France. Wound received on the opening day of the Battle of Loos 25/09/1915

James and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/05/1915 and were part of the 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. The opening day of The Battle of Loos : 07.05 - noon : The 9th (Scottish) Division had to attack the formidable obstacle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, the high location of the main enemy observation posts looking across the whole battlefield. Preparations had included Russian saps to close the distance to be covered, and effective observed heavy shelling. The lead units of 26th Brigade suffered casualties as they cleared the gas and smoke, but advanced through well-cut wire to quickly take the front face of the Redoubt. The 8th Black Watch came up from reserve to reinforce, but suffered grievous casualties from fire from Mad Point. By now it had become clear that failure on their left meant that the Brigade could not continue, and instead it had to prepare against counterattack, while under continuous enemy shellfire. Auchy area : The attack of 9th (Scottish) Division had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench network around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. James was wounded on the opening day of the Battle of Loos on the 25/09/1915 and died after having his leg amputated on the 07/10/1915 in No. 5 General Hospital, Rouen, France. SEE PHOTOS x 6 FOR THE 8th (SERVICE) BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915. James was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. Scottish Regiments lost a huge amount of brave men at Loos. Here is a list of Infantry Battalions who lost more than 500 men at the Battle of Loos from 25/09/1915 to 16/10/1915 - 7th Cameron Highlanders 687, of which 19 Officers, 9th Black Watch 680, of which 20 Officers, 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers 650, of which 20 Officers, 10th Highland Light Infantry 648, of which 20 Officers, 7th King's Own Scottish Borderers 631, of which 20 Officers, 8th Devons 619, of which 19 Officers, 8th Royal West Kents 580, of which 24 Officers, 8th Buffs 558, of which 24 Officers, 12th Highland Light Infantry 553, of which 23 Officers, 8th BLACK WATCH 511, OF WHICH 19 OFFICERS, 5th North Staffordshire 505, of which 20 Officers, 8th Seaforth Highlanders 502, of which 23 Officers. James is also remembered on the East United Free Church and Maxwell Parish Churches Rolls of Honour and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Headstone Report x 2, his Memorial Plaque (Dead Mans Penny), his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, St Sever Cemetery, the Black Watch Cap Badge and James' Pension Records x 4. James' grave inscription reads "AN AFFECTIONATE SON AND BRAVE SOLDIER". Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 21 FROM THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK SEPTEMBER 1915, PHOTOS FOR 20 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION and DIVISION 25/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry), the 9th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died) and Newspaper clippings x 3 (Coatbridge Express x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).